Canoe with a View : : Canadian Open Canoe forum

As I slowly came out of my slumber this moring I casually gazed over in the general direction of the alarm clock (always switched off at weekends) and some fuzzy numerals slowly came into focus...OMG... It's 08:45 and I didn't pre-pack last night.!!!, it was as if Mike Reid had jumped into my head and shouted "RUNA-R-O-U-N-N-N-D NOW"...

By 09:30 I'd loaded up with CJ's Ontario and the rest of the gear, and as we drove over the Dee Bridge I couldn't get a look at the river, passing Sandy Lane on the way to Farndon was going to be my first sight.... As the road bottomed out I glanced right, it was up, it was WELL UP, and it was fair shifting along too...

This was certainly going to be a quick run...

We tripped up at Farndon a couple of minutes late where the Knight and his Serf were already waiting for us.. The water was seeping onto the surface of the carpark and at first glance it didn't look like a boat and paddler would fit under the arches of the bridge....

This is a shot from earlier in the year...




And this, was the sceene today...






It only took a couple of minutes to get the boat off and loaded up, we were soon on our way...






With the river so high, at times it really did feel as though we were padding through swamplands between the stilted shacks...




Bill found just about the only tree to get himself all wrapped up in, you really do take this tree hugging too far sometimes Bill...

Feeling left out Jammy found a field to paddle in...






We marvelled at what a completely different paddle it was with the banks so low, the views over the Welsh lowlands to the border hills was absoloutly fantastic with the sky so clear and the visibility so good....




We did get concerned for a second time when we came across a swamp boat mored outside this residence...




And this is another before and after shot...






The first three miles were eaten up in what seemed like minutes, I really couldn't believe how quickly we'd covered the distance, especially as we had the Jammy with us, it was time for a brew at our usual spot...




Bill provided the water and milk while Jammy did the honours with the coffee pot...






A bottle of, err, something that looked decidedly dodgy was produced....




After the first brew stop we came across a couple of pretty big Buzzards, one was circling the fields on the thermals which was great to watch as we drifted towards it, and a few cormerants were looking for fish..




Again, in silly time we were at the Lunch stop, the same place that we paddled up to from Eccleston last time we were out, this is where Lin jumped on "The Rope Swing of Death", she'd probably be a few foot under the water if she tried it today...




Dot's started marking Bill's tins with "This Way Up"... And Lunch for Jammy was up to his usual high standards...




A time check from Bill revealed it was only 13:00hrs, so Jammy Unilaterally decided it was going to be a long affair...




It was over an hour later before we got going again...




Jammy posed especially for GeogExavier....




And all too soon it was all over bar the shouting......

From Bill, Splosh.... "Oh yer' B**tard"....

The deceptively flat Eccleston Ferry had claimed it's second victim...




Two hours Fifteen paddling...

Two hours and Seven b**gering around in fields, collecting and cutting driftwood, and relaxing in front of the stove.

And an hour, or so, for CJ to meet us at Eccleston and run Jammy back up to Farndon for his car...

The weather held out, clear skys, hardly a breath of wind, and a warm sun on our backs...

A most splendishous day out on the water....

Thanks guys...

See you out on the water soon.

Cheers
Red.

Hi All, Just to add a little to Reds Account of our little trip today, as said the River Dee was in full Flood and moving like an express Train, To say I was a little apprehensive is probably an understatement, having forgot my BA in my haste to get out when Sir Jammy picked me up at app 08-00
But Sir Jammy when he undertakes to do a pensioners outing as always rises to my needs and had brought along a spare BA which of course he kindly loaned me (Would I have gone without a BA, your Guess)
As I said Being apprehensive as I was, one thing I can say about Cwav members, especially my companions of the Day I knew I was in good hands and they knew my capabilities, or lack of them, so off we sett, my escapade with the only shrub in a one mile stretch of river was because I thought I had spotted the nest of the Lesser Spotted long tailed Willow Reed Warbler, and knew Nige would have been interested in my find but alas I was wrong.
They always say Pride comes before a Fall, well not so long ago I was boasting how I had never fell in the water from my canoe, Well what happened was I executed a ferry glide to be proud of and got to the bank nicely testing the depth on my get out side with my paddle decided I could get out ok as I had my muck boots on and my waterproof trousers over my muck boots, anyway out I stepped up to my waist as the bank gave way, when I say up to my waist only down one side cause as I went I had presence of mind to fall onto the bank, anyway that's my story and Im sticking to it, at least I can now brag that I have joined the elite on the appropriate table.
But thanks to Red and Jammy for the instructions, and I know were looking out for me, Thanks to Mrs Redframe (Chris) for the Shuttle.
Will just post a couple of pic's of the River when I was last at Farndon and Today.





The River last Time I was there.





And of course the River Today
Oh yes Did I enjoy it, you bet. Thanks Guys.
Best Regards Bill

Great TT guys. All I can say is I wish I'd been there Bill

Glad to see the weather had changed for the better.

Catch up with you all on the water soon.

(15-11-09 11:07 PM)Canalvoyageur Wrote: [ -> ]They always say Pride comes before a Fall, well not so long ago I was boasting how I had never fell in the water from my canoe, Well what happened was I executed a ferry glide to be proud of and got to the bank nicely testing the depth on my get out side with my paddle decided I could get out ok as I had my muck boots on and my waterproof trousers over my muck boots, anyway out I stepped up to my waist as the bank gave way, when I say up to my waist only down one side cause as I went I had presence of mind to fall onto the bank, anyway that's my story and Im sticking to it, at least I can now brag that I have joined the elite on the appropriate table.

I believe you Bill. It is dangerously FLAT in that area of the river.

Strangely enough I was saying something similar to yourself about "how stable the canoe is now" before I "tested my new floatation blocks" on the eccleston rapids.
There should be a warning sign placed at that deceptively flat section.....its a lot more dangerous than it looks......

Great TT as usual shame I could not make it.

Greg

Great TT guys, looks like you had a great day's paddling.

Hope I can make it next time.

Mike

Great TT, guys - looks a lovely river.

Glad to have you in the Elite Group, Bill. 'Bout time we had someone with a bit of class.



Biff

b***** H***
ive never seen the river that high...
glad to see you had a good time,
see you soon guys
hope the weather is good for our next adventure...

Now and again it'll come up another metre or two....

Cheers
Red.

Great blog. just a bit of water then.

TGB

An absolutely Brill day out.

Mushroom picking in the meadow from my canoe was something else i tell you.

Bill was on form
and more on form

and even more on form at the end

We almost spent more time bu****ing about than paddling.
Last time I cam down here it took four hours paddling time

Luckily for Red and I we climbed out upstream of the Eccleston Maelstrom when more than a couple of CwaV vixtimis have come to a wet end

All in all Spectacular VIEWS which can only be seen from a flooded Dee made the day for me